Foot massage apparatus



Dec. 19, 1950 P. BURNETT ETAL FOOT MASSAGE APPARATUS -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1948 INVENTORS 3666M ATTpRNEY.

Dec. 19, 1950 P. BURNETT ETAL FOOT MASSAGE APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1948 FIG. '3.

INVENTORS,

Pym FT D EY' Patented Dec. 19, 1950 FOOT MASSAGE APPARATUS Peter Burnett and Otto C. Buike, Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,706

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a foot massage apparatus and more particularly to a motor driven apparatus adapted for home or professional use.

It has for one of its objects to provide an apparatus of this character which is so designed and constructed as to effectually massage ones feet and stimulate circulation therein and wherein the frictional pressure is directly controlled by the patient himself to produce the massaging action desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor-driven massaging apparatus which combines both a rolling and reciprocating motioncontact with the bottoms of the feet to exert a massaging action thereon and strengthen the muscles and arches of the feet.

A still further object is to provide a massaging apparatus which is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, which is positive and reliable in operation, and which affords a treatment as determined by the desire of the patient.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the massaging apparatus embodying our invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section thereof taken on line 2-2, Figure '1. is a vertical section taken on line 3-3, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, our massaging apparatus comprises a suitable casing I!) in which the operating mechanism is housed, the same being provided in its top side adjacent the front end thereof with longitudinal recessed portions II, II disposed side by side to receive the patients feet for proper positioning during a massaging treatment. The bottoms of these recessed portions have openings l2 therein to expose the bottoms of the feet for treatment while rests I3 are provided to properly receive the heels of the patients feet and the front ends of the recessed portions are shaped, as indicated at M, to support the toes. sits comfortably in a chair with the bottoms of his feet bridging or spanning the openings I2 while the heels and toes are firmly supported on their companion rests.

Housed within the casin and disposed in op- Figure 3 By this arrangement, the patient crating planes for registration with the openings I2 of its foot-receiving portions H are massaging rollers l 5, l5 which are mounted to reciprocate in an arcuate path for frictional contact with the bottoms of the feet in the area of the arches and which are also rotated about their axes. The degree of pressure to be exerted on the feet is governed by the will of the patient. It is preferred that these rollers reciprocate in opposite directions, but otherwise each is similarly mounted and a description of each mounting will therefore suffice for both. Each roller is fixed on a horizontal shaft 16 journaled in suitable bearings l'l applied to the upper ends of laterally-spaced rock arms 18 fulcrumed at their lower ends for vertically-swinging movement on horizontal pivotbolts [9 applied to blocks 2!! rising from a base plate 2!. A. grooved pulley Z2 is fixed on one end of each shaft and is connected by a transmission belt 23 to a companion eccentrically-mounted pulley 2%, shown in Figures 3 and 4, fixed on the companion end of a transverse driven shaft 25 journaled in a speed reducer unit 26. As shown in Figure 3, the eccentric pulleys are disposed at substantially apart to effect the reciprocation of the massaging rollers 15 in opposite directions. The shaft 25 has a worm wheel 2! thereon meshing with a worm 28 applied to a drive shaft 29 connected to an electric motor 3!} contained in the rear end of the casing II]. By this construction, reciprocating motion is not only transmitted to the respective roller mountings, but the rollers themselves are rotated at a comparatively slow uniform speed to effectually massage the bottoms of the feet. The surface of the rollers may be grooved as shown to augment the massaging treatment. Furthermore, it will be noted in Figure 2 that the roller mounting mechanism including the pulleys and belts are shrouded within the casing and the rollers I5 are the only elements exposed through the openings l2.

The companion roller-supporting rock arm l8 are joined below the roller by a tie rod 3| on which a sleeve 32 is mounted having a radial arm 33 to which one end of a spring 34 is connected,

the other end thereof being connected to an eye bolt 35 attached to the base plate 2 l This spring urges the rock arm assembly in a forward direction and a stop plate 36 is disposed in the forward-swinging path of the inner rock arms of both pairs to limit such forward movement.

While manifestly simple, compact, durable and inexpensive in construction, this massaging apparatus is so designed that it is not liable to get out of order, and it effectually and efficiently performs massaging treatments to those parts of the feet which require strengthening and correction.

We claim as our invention:

1. An apparatus for massaging feet, comprising a casing having foot-receiving portions in its top side defining heel and toe supports and openings between the latter to expose the bottoms of the feet to the interior of said casing, massaging elements mounted in said casing in the registering plane of its openings for contact with the bottom of the feet, and means operatively connected to said elements for reciprocating them fore and aft relative to the feet andzsimultaneously rotating them in one direction.

2. An apparatus for massaging feet, compris.

ing a casing having foot-receiving portion in its top side defining heel and toe supports andopenings between the latter to expose the bottoms of the feet to the interior of said casing, vertically-swinging rock arms fulcrumed at their lower 'ends in said casing, massaging elements rotatably mounted in the upper ends of said rock arms, and drive means operatively to the said elements for simultaneously revolving them in one'direc- -tion and transmitting reciprocating motion to said rock arms.

' 3. An apparatus for massaging feet, comprising a casing having foot-receiving portions in its top side-defining heel and toe supports and openings between the latter to expose the bottoms of 1 the feet to the interior of said casingverticallyswinging rock arms fulcrumed at their lower ends in said casing, massaging elements rotatably mounted in the upper ends of said rock arms,

- a driven shaft, and means mounted on said shaft and operatively connected to said massaging elements for individually causing theirrotation in one direction and the fore and aft-swinging of said rock arms.

4. An apparatus-for massaging feet, compris-- 'ing' a casing having foot-receiving portions in its 1 topside defining heel and toe supportsand openings between the latter to expose the bottoms of .the' feet to the interior of said casing, verticallyswinging rock arms fulcrumed at their lower ends '4 in said casing, massaging elements rotatably amounted in the upper ends of saidrockarms,

..ing a casing having foot-receiving portions in its top side defining heel and toe supports and openings between the latter to expose the bottoms of the feet to the interior of said casing, verticallyswinging rock arms fulcrumed at their lower ends in said casing, massaging elements rotatably -mounted in the upper ends of said rock arms, pulleys associated with said massaging elements, a driven, shaft, and eccentrically-disposed pulleys mounted on said shaft and belt-connected to the companion massaging element pulleys.

6. An apparatus for massaging feet, comprising a casing having foot-receiving portions in its 2 top side defining heel and toe supports and open- .ings between the latter to expose the bottoms of the feet to theinterior of said casing, verticallyswinging rocker arm units fulcrumed at the lower ends in said casingin the registering plane of its openings, shafts journaled in the upper ends of said rocker arm units and each havinga massaging-roller and pulley fixed thereon, springs connected to said rocker arm units for yieldingly :urgingthem to swing in one direction, adriven Shaft, and eccentrically-disposedpulleys mounted, on said" driven shaft and belt-connected to ,the companion massaging roller pulleys.

PETER BURNETT. OTTO BUIKE.

REFERENCES CTTED 'The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,041,693 Boltz May 26, 1936 2,045,814 Werler June 30, 1986 2,114,322 Shafer Apr. 19, 1938 

